The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People is calling on all Crimean residents to boycott the so-called referendum called by Crimea's self-appointed government. According to the head of the Mejlis, Renat Chubarov, the decision was taken even before the announcement on Thursday that parliament had "decided" to join Russia and that they would be bringing their referendum forward to March 16.

Even from a practical point of view, the legitimacy of a referendum organized in 10 days with no expert analysis of the wording of the questions and the procedure for running the vote, would be questionable. Not to mention the fact that the "voting" will be held in conditions where armed soldiers with no insignia but widely considered to be Russian, were overseeing the event. In addition, of course, the referendum is simply illegal as the Constitution is clear that any referendum changing Ukraine's borders must be nationwide.

The Central Election Commission has stated that it is suspending access to the Voter Register in the Crimea and Sevastopol (which has separate status according to Ukraine's Constitution).

The referendum has already been denounced as illegitimate by the USA, the EU, the UN Security Council and others.